Compartmented refrigerator door



1951 R. H. MONEY COMPARTMENTED REFRIGERATOR DOOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 12, 1949 {7.3 INVENTOR.

R m YD 1% Jimmy BY fl ww A -F/JW Nov. 27, 1951 R. H. MONEY 2,576,591

COMPARTMENTED REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed March 12, 1949 2 SHEETS-Sl'iEET 2 IN V EN TOR.

BYKO AA ND ,9. Man: y

Patented Nov. 27, 1951 COMPARTMENTED REFRIGERATOR DOOR Roland 11. Money, Mount Healthy, Ohio, assignor to Artkraft Manufacturing Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Corporation, Lima,

Application March 12, 1949, Serial No. 81,150

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a cabinet construction, and more particularly to a refrigerator cabinet.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet having a front door which includes storage containers adapted to receive perishable commodities and maintain them in a fresh, moist or crisp condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a cabinet of the type described a door having storage containers hingedly connected thereto and adapted to extend into the cabinet when the door is closed.

It is also an object to provide storage containers of the character stated which are disposed one above the other and spaced so that the bottom of an upper container forms a roof or cover for the lower container, and which can also utilize a part of the door frame for a roof over the uppermost container.

An additional object is to provide for a refrigerator cabinet, a compact storage container or crisper constructed to occupy a minimum of useable space and positioned so as not to interfere with the free circulation of air within the cabinet, which is easily removed for cleaning, and which is so mounted as to provide a limited clearance for swinging from a closed position to an open position whereby the crisper when fully open occupies a stable and inclined upright position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred forms of embodiments of the invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial, vertical, sectional and elevational view through a refrigerator cabinet having a front door constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevational view looking at the inside of a refrigerator cabinet front door having a modified construction;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing still another arrangement of the interior;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the full swinging storage containers as seen in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a partial, front elevational view looking at the inside of the front door shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view through the cabinet, partly in section. and illustrating the door construction on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, partly in section, taken on the line 8-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top sectional and plan view of the storage container and its mountings illustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring further to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and '7 the cabinet I 0 is provided with a front door 12 hingedly mounted thereon as indicated at I 3. The door is formed with an outside wall 11, an inside wall l8 and insulating material 18 between these walls. This refrigerator cabinet also includes shelves l4, evaporator unit 20, defrost tray 2i and lower storage compartment as customarily used.

A frame 23 is carried by the inside wall It, being attached thereto by the bolts 24. As indicated in Fig. 6, this frame is three-sided and extends across substantially the full width of the inside door wall l8. The frame, as shown, is open along the bottom and is formed with an inwardly extending flange 25 projecting on all three sides. As seen most clearly in Figs. 1 and 6, the inside wall 18 is pressed in, as indicated at 26, to provide a recessed portion in the door into which the storage containers 21 and 28 are mounted. These containers at their front extend into the cabinet. The frame 23 and flange 28 extend around this area 26 as shown.

The containers 21 and 28 are disposed one above the other and hingedly mounted on the front door. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the containers 21 and 28 are pivotally connected at their sides to the flange 25, with pins as indicated at 21a and 28a. In the preferred construction a slot 29 is cut in from the edge of flange 25 at an angle of about 45 to receive the mounting pins 21a and 28a. This construction facilitates assembling and removing the containers for cleaning when desired, as well as providing for swinging or tilting the containers to move them from the closed to the open position.

It is to be noted that the containers 21 and 28 are identical, being closed on three sides and open along the top edge 30 as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the closed position is illustrated. These containers or crispers can be constructed by molding from a transparent plastic material, or if preferred, from metal. The sides forming the fronts of the containers extend in height substantially above the sides forming the backs as shown. Thus, when the containers are mounted in position, the top portion of flange 25 extends out over the container 21 forming a roof or cover therefor. In the closed position, Fig. 1, the front side of container 21 extends upwardly to a position adjacent the inner edge of the flange. A passage or clearance 33 is formed between the flange edge 25 and the front side 21. The lower container 28 is maintained in a spaced position below the top container 21 so that the bottom of the top container forms a roof for the lower container. The containers are spaced apart sufliciently so that a passage or clearance 33a is maintained between the top and bottom con- ;ainers. Passages 83 and 33a provide for limit- 2d air flow between the interior of containers l1 and 28 whereby the desired relative humidity s maintained in the container so that fruit ind vegetables do not rot or mildew and are naintained crisp.

As seen in Fig. 1, the containers 21 and 28 ire positioned so that when the door I2 is open, each can be tilted or swung freely to an open position independently of the other. The space provided between the back of the containers and ;he recessed portion 28 of wall I8 is just sufllcient .0 allow for tilting the containers to the open position. In the open position the containers are stable in an inclined upright position at an angle of about 45. The open top 30 extends beyond the inner edge of flange 25 to provide free and mobstructed access to the interior of the conzainer. When the containers are pulled open, the swinging or tilting movement thereof is .imited and they are prevented from inclining beyond an angle of about 45 to the vertical by the inner comer 35 coming in contact with the bumper 36 fastened to the inside of wall l8. It is to be noted also that the containers are mounted in an accessible position on the inside of the door and at a convenient height for most efficient use thereof. Furthermore, these containers are positioned sufficiently below and away from the cooling coils 20 so as not to interfere with or obstruct the normal circulation of air and cooling operations within the cabinet. Tilting handles 38, Fig. 6, are provided to facilitate opening the containers. In this form, the containers as shown extend across substantially the full width of the door and thus utilize this space to provide a maximum storage area.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the frame is fastened to the inside wall I8 of the door and is provided with an inwardly extending flange 4| (Fig. 4) on each side. The flanges 4| are connected transversely with a web 42 which forms a supporting member. The door liner or wall I8 is recessed, as seen in Fig. 4, to provide space for receiving articles 43 such as bottles and the like. A retaining band 44 also extends across between the flanges 4| and provides for holding the articles on the storage rack thus formed.

A pair of storage containers 41 and 48 are mounted below the storage rack. These containers are each mounted onthe door, being hingedly connected at the sides to the flange 4| as indicated at 48. Each container is open at the top and extends across substantially the full width of the door as, shown in Fig. 2. It will be apparent that t e web 42 forming the bottom of the storage ra provides a roof over the top container 41 when the latter is in the closed posi-' tion.. This roof is spaced from the open top of container 41 sufilciently to provide for maintaining the interior thereof at the proper temperature to preserve food. sto'red therein in a fresh and crisp condition. The closed bottom of the top container 41 forms a roof for the open topped lower container 48. There is sufficient clearance between the containers to provide for freely swinging each container to an open position independently of the other, as well as providing for cooling the interior of container 48 from the interior of the cabinet. A pullmember 5| and catch 52 are provided to facilitate opening and closing the containers.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 3 is generally similar to that of Fig. 2, except that the frame 58 extends substantially the full height of the door and the storage containers 58 and 51 extend across only substantially half the width of the door. When the door is closed the containers extend into the cabinet as shown in Fig. '1. The frame 55 is formed with inwardly extending flanges 58 and 59, Fig. 9. The containers are hingedly connected to the flange 58 as indicated at 80. Also, as previously described, the frame 85 provides a storage rack, as indicated at 8|, for articles, such as seen at 48a, and forms a roof for the open top of container 56. The bottom of container 56 is spaced from the open top of container 51 sufflcientlv to allow for cooling the interior of container 51, and for the free and independent opening and closing of the containers. A pull member 51a and spring clip catch 52a are provided to facilitate opening and closing. The bottom of container 56 provides a roof over the top of container 51 as previously described. In this modification a lower storage rack 62 is also provided beneath the containers, and supports articles such as indicated at 431). Retaining bands 68 are connected across the frame 55 to hold the articles in place on the storage racks as shown.

From the above description it will be apparent that a cabinet construction is provided which has a maximum of storage space without unduly sacrificing the shelf or interior space of the cabinet. Storage containers for perishable food are provided in an area and position which facilitates maintaining them at the desired temperature and condition, and facilitates their use without revquiring the removal or rearrangement of other articles in the cabinet.

While the forms of embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

I claim:

1. A refrigerator cabinet including a hingedly mounted front door having an outside wall, an inside wall and insulation between the walls, and a plurality of open top storage containers disposed one above the other adjacent the inside wall, each container having a pivotal connection removably connecting it to the inside wall, said connection comprising a pin and slot engaging to provide for swinging the container from a closed position to an inclined upright open position in which the container engages said inside wall.

2. A refrigerator cabinet including a door having. an outside wall, an inside wall and insulation between said walls, said inside wall being embossed to provide a generally rectangular recess on the inner face of the door, a frame secured to said inner wall and having a peripheral flange anchored along one edge on said frame and extending inwardly of the door around the side and top edges of said recess, and a plurality of open top containers pivotally supported at each end thereof on said flange for pivotal movement from an upright position partially occupying said recess to an inwardly inclined position, said containers being arranged one above the other with the bottom wall of the upper container forming a roof for the open top of the lower container, the portion of said flange extending along the upper edge of said recess forming a roof for the open top of the upper container.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said containers are provided with a front wall spaced inwardly of the inside wall of said door, a back wall disposed adjacent the embossed portion of said inside wall, a pair of side walls, and a bottom wall, said pivotal connection between said containers and said frame comprising pins on the side walls of said containers supported on said flange.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein the front wall of said lower container, when in the upright position, extends upwardly to a point closely adjacent the lower edge of the upper container and the front wall of the upper container extends upwardly to a point closely adjacent the free edge of the portion of said flange which extends along the upper edge of said recess.

5. A refrigerator cabinet including a door having an outside wall, an inside wall, and insulation between said walls, said inside wall being embossed to provide a generally rectangular recess on the inner face of said door, a frame secured to said inside wall and having an inwardly projecting flange anchored along one edge of said frame and extending around the side and top edges of said recess, a plurality of containers pivotally supported at each end on said flange for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis from an upright position partially occupying said recess to an inwardly inclined position, said containers being open at the top and having a front wall, a back wall, a pair of side walls, and a bottom wall, said back walls, when said containers are in an upright position, being spaced inwardly of the embossed portion of said inside wall to provide clearance to permit the upper ends of said containers to be pivoted in a direction inwardly of the door about said horizontal axes, and abutment means on said embossed portion of said inside wall for engaging the lower rear corner of said containers for limiting the inward pivotal movement thereof to said inclined position.

6. A refrigerator cabinet including a door having an outside wall, an inside walland insulation between said walls, said inside wall being embossed to provide a generally rectangular recess on the inner face of the door, a frame secured to said inner wall and having a peripheral flange anchored along one edge on said frame and extending inwardly of the door around the side and top edges of said recess, and a plurality of open top containers pivotally supported on said flange for pivotal movement from a closed position partially occupying said recess to an open position wherein the interior of each of said containers is accessible through the open top thereof, said containers being arranged one above the other with the bottom wall of the upper container forming a roof for the open top of the next lower container, the portion of said flange extending along the upper edge of said recess forming a roof for the open top of the uppermost container.

ROLAND H. MONEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

